Whether you spend your day staring at a computer screen, analysing intricate data or working on a machine, or if you spend your lunch hour online shopping, playing games or scrolling through social media on your phone – it’s possible for you to get Eye Strain as a result of your eyes becoming tired from intense use. That’s why we’ve put together some top tips to keep your eyes healthy at work – and don’t forget to share with your colleagues too!
Generally, treatment for eyestrain consists of making changes in your daily habits or environment. So, with that being said, take a look at these small changes and self-care steps you can take to reduce eyestrain during your working day –
- Adjust the lighting.
When using your computer or watching television, it can be easier on your eyes if you keep the room softly lit.
Strong lighting from your screen can put strain on your eyes, so try dimming the lights or reduce the brightness on your screen to soften the glare.In the workplace you can make sure office lighting is set so that you can read the screen clearly to eliminate as much glare as possible to protect your eyes. When doing close work or reading printed documents, be sure to try and position the light source behind you and direct the light onto your page or task. The shade will keep light from shining directly into your eyes. - Limit screen time.
Many of us love to scroll through social media, news articles or the latest online sale every now and then, but on average we spend a whopping 3 hours and 15 minutes a day on our phones – scary, right?It’s important that we spend time away from our screens – whether it’s a quick break to make a drink, taking a short walk at lunchtime or chatting to colleagues for a few minutes rather than sending another email – every little helps!It’s important to consider how this affects our children too – in this digital world our children are spending more time viewing screens than ever before and they may not make the connection between extended viewing, eyestrain and the need to rest their eyes regularly, so it’s important to ensure they have the right balance too! - Choose the right eye-wear for you.
If you need glasses or contact lenses and work at a computer, you can consider investing in glasses or contact lenses with a special anti-glare coating or coloured tint. Why not ask your optometrist about lens coatings and tints that are suitable for you?
Even better, as a Paycare Policyholder, you could be eligible to claim back the cost of this treatment with your Paycare Plan up to the annual limit. Win-win! - Blink often to refresh your eyes.
Many people blink less than usual when working at a computer or other screen – whether it’s concentrating on an excel spreadsheet, watching a tutorial, or doing some design work all this can contribute to dry eyes.
Blinking produces tears that moisten and refresh your eyes – so try to make a habit of blinking more often when looking at your monitor! - Take regular eye breaks.
It’s important to give your eyes a rest by taking regular breaks throughout the day. A great way to make this a habit is by trying the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.This can be done very simply from your desk or workstation by looking beyond your screen and relaxing your eyes for a few moments. If you can feel your eyes getting tired, or your vision becoming slightly blurry after prolonged screen use you can get up from your chair and stretch your legs for a few minutes – a good excuse for getting a few extra steps in too! - Adjust your monitor/screen angle.
Position your monitor directly in front of you about an arm’s length away so that the top of the screen is at or just below eye level. If your monitor isn’t quite right, why not try adjusting your chair or adding a laptop stand to adjust the height of your screen – and don’t forget, you could even enlarge the text size for easier reading!
So, there you go – plenty of ways you can help to reduce strain on your eyes straight away!
There’s simply no way of getting around certain optical care – after all, you need your eyes to be in good shape for everything you do – from working on that computer every day to walking and driving.
Don’t forget, as a Paycare Policyholder, you can claim back 100% of your optical costs each year (up to an annual limit) and this includes a range of treatments and services from eye tests and laser eye surgery, to prescription safety glasses and contact lenses. Spec’tacular ☺
For more health and wellbeing top tips, head to our blog page 🧡
References:
www.mayoclinic.org
https://blog.rescuetime.com/screen-time-stats-2018/